


A monster and a trainwreck

by thestarandthemoon



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hogwarts Fifth Year, M/M, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-05
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-15 19:53:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28569567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thestarandthemoon/pseuds/thestarandthemoon
Summary: Starting in the Marauders' fifth year of Hogwarts, this fic follows Remus Lupin and of course the other marauders' escapades and adventures. This is a wolfstar fic that will build up with some classic background jily. From Remus' POV.
Relationships: James Potter & Lily Evans Potter, James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Sirius Black & Remus Lupin, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Kudos: 19





	A monster and a trainwreck

It was peak hour at Kings Cross Station at approximately 8 o’clock on Monday the 8th of September 1975. Various men and women bustled onto various platforms wearing muted greys and blacks, heads down thinking mundane thoughts. As no one noticed the caged owls, murmurings of a Sorting Hat, or the people in black robes, the day was regular.

Remus Lupin breathed in the smoky air with satisfaction. He thought that nothing but smoke could calm nerves like that. Carrying a large bag full of all his school supplies, he moved through the crowd slowly. His mother walked beside him. They arrived at the space between platform 9 and platform 10, pausing.

“You don’t have to come,” Remus said to his mother. “I’ll be fine.”

Hope had always been cautious about magic.

“I shouldn’t just leave you here,” she replied, looking around as if she expected someone to appear to escort her son.

“Really Mum, I’ll be alright.”

She pursed her lips. 

“Mm I suppose you will be.” She looked up at her son, sighing. Over the summer, Remus had shot up by an extent that it could only be compared to a beanstalk. This meant Hope had to stare directly up at him in order to look him in the eyes. “Be good.”

“Always Mum.”

“I…” Hope faltered, seeming to lose the words she had been about to say.

“I’ll be careful,” Remus said quietly.

“Remember you’re not like the other boys,” Hope said, “You can’t behave like you are normal. You can’t forget.”

How could Remus forget that he wasn’t normal. Even without the constant reminders, each time he looked in a mirror all he saw were the scars that marked him as different. Let alone once a month each full moon. 

“Yeah,” he said. “I’ll see you later then.”

They looked at each other and gave each other a quick hug. Gathering all his bags so he could hold them all, Remus ran straight at the brick wall.

Like a veil had been lifted, the muted tones of working class London were replaced with bright and spectacular colours. The platform stretched as far as the eye could see, full of families saying goodbye and good luck. Cats, owls, and even toads explored the platform, followed by owners trying to catch them. But of course, the Hogwarts Express was by far the most spectacular thing on Platform Nine and Three Quarters. Red as communism, the steam engine glistened. Remus felt sparks somewhere deep in his stomach. 

Before he could wonder further, someone came up behind him and tackled him into a bear hug. 

“James!” Remus gasped.

“Moony!” the boy who had just appeared exclaimed, beaming like a cheshire cat. 

“How was your summer?” Remus said, grinning back.

“Great!” James Potter said, black hair standing up in disarray. “Yours?”

“It was pretty good.” Not a complete lie. 

“Merlin, Remus,” James exclaimed, “what happened to you? You’re even taller than me now. Although with those skinny legs I’m sure I could still take you down.” He grinned mischievously.

Remus smirked. “You forget about my furry little problem, gives me strength.”

“Oh, Moony,” James sighed dramatically, his glasses sliding down his nose, “your rabid rabbit does give you a tremendous amount of power.” They both sniggered.

“Where is Mr and Mrs Potter?” Remus inquired. Both of James’ parents were always seen at Kings Cross to wave their son away, but they were nowhere to be seen.

“My parents had to get back to work already,” James said, “It’s been really busy with the...well, you know.”

Remus did know. The Daily Prophet, although grossly undermining the extent of the war, brought news each morning of missing or dead people, as well as possible imperious curses, inferi sightings and miscellaneous other dark occurrences. 

“Anyway,” James said briskly, “Let’s get on. Have you seen Black or Pettigrew?”

“Nope, just got here,” Remus said, following James onto the train. 

The two boys scrambled up the doorway into the carriage and made their way down to their regular compartment, where Peter Pettigrew was excitedly describing his trip to Spain to a slightly glaze eyed Sirius Black. 

“Comrades!” James bellowed, entering through the glass doors with great bravado. 

The other two boys looked up smiling. Peter’s mousy hair had received a recent cut and was a lot shorter than it had been at the end of fourth year. His trip to Spain had done wonders for his pale complexion and he looked decidedly more tan, although his face was rather more red than brown. Having dined on fine European cuisine, Peter had rounded out a little and where his preadolescent boneniness had been, he was now softer. In stark contrast, Sirius’ black hair had grown down to his shoulders in waves, and he was continuously pushing the hair away from his eyes. Pale as ever, his puberty-caused awkward gangliness appeared to have disappeared entirely and he was slim but firmly built.

“James!” Peter said excitedly, “so good to see you, mate.”

Sirius leaped up in a way that matched the drama of James’ entry. “My brother,” he cried, “we were separate for too long.”

James and Sirius embraced like bears and slapped each other on the back good humouredly.

“Greetings lads,” Remus said, grinning while he took the seat next to Peter. 

“Hi Remus,” Peter said, matching the other boy’s grin. “How was your summer?”

“Not too bad, Pete,” he replied, “yours?”

“It was great,” Peter responded enthusiastically, his whole face lighting up. “I…”

“Marauders,” James interrupted to make an announcement to the whole compartment, “finally reunited, after months, MONTHS, apart. Back together, we are able to reignite the flame of chaos and mischief we set upon the school. Back together, we can rise to such great heights of greatness. Back together, we can…”

“Back together, we can all pass our OWLS with flying colours?” Remus suggested slyly.

“Oh Moony,” James sighed, “always thinking so sensibly. And what does “flying colours” mean? Is that a suggestion for a prank?”

“No, dumbarse,” Remus said, “it’s a muggle expression. It means to go above and beyond.”

“Mmm, no,” James decided, “I think there’s a definite possibility for a prank if we make colours fly somehow. What do you think, my dear companion?” He looked to Sirius.

Sirius, however, was staring at Remus. Remus began to feel a bit uncomfortable and shifted in his seat, pulling his sleeves down to cover his scars. 

“Sirius?” James questioned again, looking from him to Lupin.

“Huh?” Sirius said, snapping out of his entrancement. “Oh, yes, flying colours, definitely has potential. Maybe we can make everything green fly around the Great Hall.”

“Mmm yes,” James said, “that’s a definite possibility. Maybe…”

Remus sighed contentedly as he listened to his unlikely group of friends make chitchatter as they plotted and schemed all the way until the Hogwarts Express pulled to a halt. Just as it should be.

The four boys gathered their belongings and made their way out of the compartment. Hurriedly, they scurried into the nearest carriage pulled by invisible horses, making their way by candle light to wonderful, magical Hogwarts. 

In the Great Hall, the ceiling’s mirage presented a peaceful night with stars shining brightly and a full moon glaring down upon the students and professors. Remus took a calming breath as he sat down at the Gryffindor table next to James. It is just a spell, he said to himself, the moon is not full for another week. 

The sorting ceremony was over quickly and the first years sat with their new houses, grinning sheepishly, dwarfed by the incredible surroundings. 

Just as Remus was about to tuck into the shepherd’s pie he had scooped onto his plate, a shrill, angry voice came from behind him.

“Remus Lupin!” a fierce, red-headed girl said, “why on earth did you think you were excused from attending the prefects meeting on the train?!”

Remus felt his stomach drop. “Shit, Lily,” he said, “I completely forgot.”

She punched him on the arm, but it did not hurt. “Great start to the year, stupid,” she said, still looking cross although there was a slight sparkle in her eye.

“Lily Evans,” James said, extending his hand. “My name is James Potter. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”

“Yes, I know who you are, Potter,” Lily replied, not returning his handshake.

“Yes, but I have treated you mistakenly these past years, and I wish to go into this year with a fresh slate.”

“You wish, Potter,” Lily said, although she looked slightly amused, “but I’m afraid you will need more than a fresh start to make me see you as any more than a spoilt, arrogant frog.”

James sighed dramatically and hid his eyes with his hands.

“Frog?” Remus said, “come on, Lily, I expect better of you.”

“You’re one to talk,” she said, “prefect who misses the very first meeting.”

“Missed you too, Lily,” Remus said, giving her an awkward hug from his sitting position. She smiled and hugged him back. When he turned back around, Sirius was staring at him again with the same odd glare as the train. 

“Make sure you help me take the first years to the common room,” she said pointedly to Remus, before leaving to go sit with her friends. After agreeing with Lily, he turned back to look at Sirius to see that he was no longer looking at him. 

“Moony,” James said seriously, “you are my idol. Why doesn’t Lily try to hex you when you hug her?”

“More importantly,” Peter said slyly, “who thought that making Moony a prefect was a good idea?”

Remus just smiled mysteriously and began to make his way through his shepherd’s pie. 

After dinner was over, he found Lily and helped her to chaperone the first years to the Gryffindor common room. He had told the marauders that he would join them afterwards, to their pretend weeping and accusations of abandonment. After helping all the eleven-year-olds, Remus decided he definitely did not like being a prefect, or kids. 

When he was finally able to make his way back to his dormitory, he heard rambunctious laughter from down the corridor, which belonged, of course, to the marauders. 

He entered the room to find the curtains of their beds flying rapidly around, causing general chaos. James, Sirius, and Peter were all racing around the room trying to avoid being swept up by the sheets of fabric. Remus looked once around before choosing his moment to make a dive for his bed, before deciding to add to the mayhem by adding a heat tracking spell to the curtains, casting a shield charm around his own bed first of course. 

The other boys shrieked as the curtains suddenly turned around on the spot and dove towards them, encapsulating them in the red and gold material. 

“Moony, please…”

“Help us…”

“No, Moony…”

“Sorry, can’t hear you,” Remus yelled. More shrieks and pleads for assistance.

“Fine…” Remus said, “but only if you promise to do your own history essays for the whole year.”

There was a pause before a sound that appeared to be agreement. Remus waved his wand lazily and the boys were free to escape.

“Blimey, Moony,” James said, “you strike a harsh deal.”

“You better stick to it.”

“Marauders’ Honour, there is no higher.”

As the boys got ready for bed, Remus kept noticing Sirius take small glances at him. The wolf in Remus felt observed and wanted to fight the observer. The human in him knew that was ridiculous, but also felt a strong sense of annoyance. They had barely spoken to each other since they arrived. Was Sirius avoiding him? Had he finally decided he wanted nothing to do with the hideous, scarred werewolf? 

When James and Peter were both brushing their teeth, Remus walked over to where Sirius was unpacking.

“Sirius,” he said, quietly, trying to hide the wolf’s anger. “Why do you keep looking at me?”

Sirius looked a little taken aback. “I don’t keep looking at you,” he said, frowning.

“Yes you do,” Remus replied, “you were on the train and at dinner, and tonight again.”

Sirius smiled, uncharacteristically timidly, “It’s stupid.”

“Just tell me.”

“You’re tall.”

Remus stared at him.

“Yeah I guess so,” he said finally

“It just took me by surprise,” Sirius said, “and everytime I see you I’m surprised again.”

“Your hair is long,” Remus said, accusatory, “you don’t see me staring at it.”

“Yes, but that’s because I have the bad boy personality to fit the hair, whereas you, dear Moony, are unusual in your height.”

Remus laughed, the wolf retreating. “Yeah, ok, sure,” he said sarcastically, “definitely very bad boy.” 

Sirius stuck his tongue out at him. “Exactly. I’ll stop staring at you though,” Sirius said with a small grin.

“People might think things otherwise,” Remus said sneakily, wiggling his eyebrows at the now shorter boy.

Sirius gasped in mock horror. “What a disaster we would have on our hands then!”

Both the boys laughed until James and Peter came back moments later. Eventually, they all turned the lights off and went to sleep. Remus was awake last, he knew by the smell of sleep that emanated from each person one by one. First James, then Peter, then after a larger pause Sirius. With the scent of his friends’ slumber fresh in the room, Remus found that eventually the stiffness in his joints gave out enough to allow him to fall into deep and dreamless sleep. 

**Author's Note:**

> Title came from the song Home by Cavetown. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
